PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (AP) — An individual in southwest Florida has died after being contaminated with a particularly uncommon brain-eating amoeba, well being officers stated.
The Florida Division of Well being in Charlotte County confirmed the loss of life Thursday. The company had beforehand issued an alert final month, warning residents in regards to the Naegleria fowleri infection.
“I can verify the infection sadly resulted in a loss of life, and any further data on this case is confidential to guard affected person privateness,” Florida Division of Well being spokesman Jae Williams stated in an e-mail.
Well being officers stated final month that the infection might need been attributable to sinus rinse practices utilizing faucet water, however an investigation is ongoing. Sinus options ought to be made utilizing solely distilled or sterile water. Faucet water ought to be boiled for at the least one minute and cooled earlier than sinus rinsing.
“Infection with Naegleria fowleri is uncommon and may solely occur when water contaminated with amoebae enters the physique by means of the nostril,” Williams stated. “You can’t be contaminated by consuming faucet water.”
Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled organism that lives in soil and heat recent water, resembling lakes, rivers and sizzling springs, in response to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It will probably trigger a mind infection when water containing the amoeba goes up the nostril. Solely about three folks in the US get contaminated every year, however these infections are normally deadly.
